About Us

Steve and Terry Smith

Steve and Terry Smith are ordinary people, doing extraordinary work for God. They are the founders and backbone of Haitian Island Ministries (H.I.M.), driven daily by the overwhelming need to serve.

Steve is the Director of Missions and is dedicated full-time to the operations of this ministry. He and Terry travel throughout the United States sharing the plight of the Haitians, searching for support, supplies, and equipment.

Call it fate; call it God’s plan. In 1994 during a visit to Haiti, Steve was led from his position in the medical profession to create Haitian Island Ministries. What he and Terry began as a mission to provide basic health care to the impoverished people in Haiti has now grown to sponsoring facilities throughout the country serving as schools, churches, and medical clinics.

Steve was in Haiti during the earthquake on January 12, 2010, and witnessed the destruction first hand.

Steve and Terry are longtime members of the Wentzville Christian Church in Wentzville, MO. They truly appreciate your support, prayers, and contributions.

Melissa Sample

Melissa Sample has worked with the ministry since 2006, serving as the Sponsorship Coordinator. Her primary responsibility is to maintain the flow of sponsorship and information between schools/students and sponsors. Melissa met the Smiths at Wentzville Christian Church, where she and her family have been members since 2004.

Melissa made her first trip to Haiti in November, 2006. She enjoys visiting the ministry's schools, spending time with the children and school directors, getting to know them and how they live their daily lives. Melissa speaks to individuals and groups (children and adults) to share the stories of the Haitians, to educate, and hopefully match interested supporters to children/schools in need.

Melissa and her husband, Vann, live in Wentzville, Missouri, with their 3 children: Ivey, Joshua and Chloe.

Pierre "Haiti Joe" Edmond

His name is Pierre L. Joseph Edmond, but everyone calls him Joe. "Haiti Joe" started working with Haitian Island Ministries during the summer of 1998 as a translator for Steve Smith and HIM volunteer groups. Eventually, Joe started his own school under Haitian Island Ministries' sponsorship. Joe acts as the local operations coordinator for Haitian Island Ministries, keeping tabs on all the schools and feeding programs, and relaying information back to the US as necessary.

Joe and his wife Wislande have 3 children, including two who attend the school he operates and one in higher grades.